Robert henry scott



(No Model.)

B. H. SCOTT.

WIGK TRIMMER.

Patented May '12, 1891.

v Eli/611 757 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT HENRY SCOTT, OF MASTERTON, NEW ZEALAND.

WICK-TRIMMER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 452,289, dated May 12, 1891.

Application filed April 18, 1890. Serial No, 348,584. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, ROBERT HENRY Soon", a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at Mastertomin the provincial district of Wellington, in the Colony of New Zealand, have invented a new or Improved Apparatus for Snuffing Lampicks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a new or improved apparatus for snufting lamp-wicks, and has for its objects trimming the wicks of lamps by removing the burned substance or refuse and leaving a uniform edge for the flame.

In order that my invention may be most easily understood, I will no proceed to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer to the accompanying sheet of drawings, on which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is a side view of my improved apparatus. Fig.2 is a transverse section of the same. Fig. 3 is an end view of the pinchers, showing their application to a lamp-wick.

ais apair of pinchers made (by preference) of thin tempered sheet-steel, and whichI prefer to be made so that they remain open when not in use, as shown in Fig. 2, but which can be pressed together by the fingers into the form shown in Fig. 8.

Z) is a tray or stand into which the prongs a a of the pinchers can rest when not in use.

b is ascraper, against which the inner edges of the pinchers a a can be scraped and cleaned by the action of withdrawing the pinchers from the stand 17.

It will be seen from this description of the several parts and by reference to the drawings that my invention consists of a pair of pinchers made (by preference) of sheet-steel, and which in their normal position are open,

but when squeezed inward upon the upper or burned portion of the wick of a lamp are of such a shape and angle that by a slight pressure they drag off the burned or useless part of the wick, and they do this in such a manner that only the useless part of the wick is removed, and that'without producing any inequality or projecting threads, as is often the case when a cutting-edge is made use of, which produces irregularities in the flame and waste of oil and light. These pinchers I fit when not in use into a box or tray in such a manner that they form a handle to the said box, being retained in position by the form of the sides of the said box or tray. To remove the pinchers for use they must be compressed by the hand, and are then compelled to come in contact and scrape their inner sides against the projectionsb b, which cleans them ready for the next operation.

Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my invention and how the same is or may be carried into effect,

I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to the exact details, for it is evident that the pinchers may be divided into two parts with or without a spring, ora spiral or other spring may be used to expand them; but

What I claim as novel and useful, and de sire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The combination of the pinchers a with the tray b and cleaning-pieces 19, substantially as described herein, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

ROBERT HENRY SCOTT.

Witnesses:

HENRY HUGHES, W. E. HUGHES. 

